08 October 2012 1:10 PM

Monday's talking point: Swindon become the first casualties of FFP rules

Swindon became the first club to fall foul of the Football League's new Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations when they were hit with a transfer embargo at the weekend.

They are not the first club to be placed under an embargo this season - Southend currently are - but they are the first to be so because of overspending.

To try and ensure financial stability and fair play within the Football League it was announced back in April that all three leagues would implementing new laws and sanctions starting from this season.

Embargo: Swindon boss Di Canio (right) with striker James Collins

Each league has agreed upon a slightly different method. The Championship is operating a model based strictly on UEFA's FFP regulations, while Leagues One and Two are implementing a Salary Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) system - which was first trialled back in the 2004-05 season and the regulations of which Swindon have broken according to the League One model.

SCMP limits spending in League One this season to 65 per cent of a club's turnover (the League Two figure is 55 per cent). Given that Swindon were in League Two last season, when a pilot scheme with no sanctions was in place, few will have sympathy for Paulo Di Canio's Robins.

However, Swindon feel they have been left up the creek without a paddle. Why? Because a statement issued by the Football League in April stated that 'the League will seek to tackle the issue at source by refusing player registrations that take clubs beyond the threshold'.

Yes, that statement is suitably vague to admonish sole blame from the Football League, especially at a time when teething problems are to be expected. But when you consider that the deals which sent Swindon beyond the threshold were fees set by tribunal, you have to ask why the transfers of James Collins from Shrewsbury Town for £140,000 and Troy Archibald-Henville from Exeter for £200,000 were not stopped 'at source'.

As Robins chairman Jeremy Wray explained: 'If they had been straight-forward transfers then half of it would have been payable this year and the other half would have been payable in 12 months' time.

'As a result of the tribunal the whole amount is due now, so it's reflected in our wage cap and it takes us around 1.5 per cent over the threshold.

'If it was during the transfer window we could sell players but we can't. The board now need to work out how we deal with this.'

Big spenders: Di Canio has been backed in the transfer markey by Wray

Wray has a point. There clearly needs to be coherence and clearer communication between clubs, tribunal panels and the League if these fair play systems are to properly work.

A sizeable chunk of summer transfers are of out-of-contract players under the age of 24 and fees are therefore set by tribunal, as was the case with Collins and Archibald-Henville.

To avoid a repeat of this situation tribunals need to be resolved much quicker and done so with more transparency so as to allow the League to stop these deals 'at source' if needs be. The tribunal system is nothing short of a lottery as it stands.

For now though, you cannot blame the League for imposing the sanction, as it is important that they show strength at this early stage of the new systems being in place.

If anyone can survive a transfer embargo, it is Swindon. They have made more signings than Imelda Marcos on a Saturday afternoon shopping trip since Di Canio took over and are sitting pretty in fourth place in League One.

Back on the pitch, Collins netted the winner at Bury on Saturday - the irony won't be lost on Swindon's rivals.

Making plans for Nigel

Leicester's Thai owners were forced into a swift U-turn last week after fans reacted angrily to their plans to replace manager Nigel Pearson.

After an inconsistent start to the season rumours circulated that Pearson was on borrowed time, and he admitted as much himself after the 2-0 win at Huddersfield.

But fans' backing for Pearson - shown throughout that win - resulted in a statement of support from the club's owners, which read: 'Given the recent unwarranted and inaccurate speculation in relation to our manager, we wish to set the record straight in the most unequivocal manner.

'Nigel has and continues to retain our total support in helping us to deliver our stated long-term aim of achieving footballing success.'

The Foxes extended their winning streak to five games with a 2-0 win over Bristol City on Saturday, moving them into second place in the Championship table.

Performance of the week

Crystal Palace came back from 2-0 down to win for the second time in two weeks against Burnley on Saturday.

Blown it: Burnley players react after conceding the third at Selhurst Park

A Wilfried Zaha brace - his third and fourth goals in a week - leveled the scores before Damien Delaney put Palace in front.

Glenn Murray's seventh of the season rendered Charlie Austin's late goal a mere consolation as Palace climbed up to the dizzy heights of fourth.

There are grumbles of discontent starting to circulate around Turf Moor given Burnley's stagnation under Eddie Howe.

Neutrals certainly won't be discontented watching the Clarets though. Their 10 games this season have yielded a whopping 43 goals.

Scout's corner: Tom Eaves (Bristol Rovers)

After netting a hat-trick for Oldham in a pre-season friendly against Bolton in 2010 young striker Eaves earned himself a move to the Reebok Stadium.

Despite his early promise though, Eaves, 21 in January, has not yet made an appearance for Owen Coyle's side and was shipped out to Bristol Rovers on loan last month.

A goal in his third appearance for the club in Saturday's 3-1 win over Northampton could provide a springboard for both Eaves and Mark McGhee's Pirates.

Quote of the week

Blackburn Rovers managing director Derek Shaw dropped the biggest hint yet that club legend Alan Shearer could be the man to replace Steve Kean as manager.

Career change? Shearer (left) is on Blackburn's shortlist

'I'm sure it would (be a popular appointment), but even more than getting fans excited we need a good manager who'll get us to the Premier League and keep us in the Premier League,' Shaw said.

'Obviously someone with Alan's football record, he'll be on the list that we have a good look at.

'I wouldn't confirm anything at this moment in time. There's a number of names being put forward for our job, those names have been forwarded on to the owners with comments.'

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